M-Borg vs. THE Flavortown U Thread, Orig. by Buckeye Paul, absconded w/by talent.

[iam416]

There's nothing in that post I disagree with today.

If I were given a choice, I'd rather have had a "normal" 2011 and seen Coach Tressel finish at OSU in 3-5 years. He's my coach. That wasn't a reality. I hoped Coach Fickell would go something like 10-2 and beat M. He didn't. UFM as a "Plan C" is as good as it gets. I'm thrilled. His hiring, as I said, an instant cure-all.

[Optimus Prime]

Any steam on Tressel taking the Akron job? TP received a 5 year ban from the program, didn't Tressel as well? If so, why was allowed to address his former team? Frankly, from current players and certainly a potential recruit's perspective, Tressel IS the principle architect of their mess.

[iam416]

Tressel will get a show-cause order for some amount of time. So, can't see him coaching any time soon (or again). Tressel isn't banned from the program.

From what I've read, Coach Fickell was pissed at the way things were handled by Gene -- including being told he had no chance at the job after the missed EP at Purdue. So, bringing in Coach Tressel was an "F you" to Gene Smith. And, FWIW, Coach Tressel also has very strong relationships with a lot the players on that team. Apparently, it was a moving experience for a lot of them.

[Ghengis Jon]

Fickell sure has gotten it both coming and going, hasn't he? Urban Legend has him as an undefined "Asst Coach" instead of "Asst Head Coach". A bit of a departure from what all the 'informed anonymous osu sources' stated pryor to UFM's hiring announcement. He gets thrust in a bad situation without complaining, handles a roiling, boiling program with some degree of skill, has some losses pinned on him somewhat unjustly by the press and fans, gets totally shit on by the AD, and continues to give good effort in face of all the adversity. If he didn't coach at that basement of an outhouse known as osu, I might even feel a tad sorry for him.

Hoke gets Big Ten Coach of the Year for his efforts. Maybe ol' Luke will get the Fickell Finger Of Fate Award...?

[Optimus Prime]

Nice....

[UMStan White]

Fickell earned the Oscar Meyer weenie award. Guerss where he'll stick that.

[Hannibal]

Hanni:

I think OSU wins the next two against M, then it's game on. As for next season, I think Braxton has significantly more room to improve as a QB than Denard. True Frosh to Sophomore should see a huge leap. In fact, that was the case for Denard.

OSU will have an uber thin OL (6 quality OL total). And they're thin at LB (we'll see if UFM can get Sabino rolling). Those are my two biggest concerns. I think the extra year will really help the WRs. Oh, forgot -- my biggest concern is the team adjusting to new coaching staff. That doesn't typically going swimmingly.

As for OSU, in general, next season. The schedule (much like M's this year) is god's gift to OSU. OSU's 3 "tough" road games are against MSU, PSU and Wisky -- all teams that will lose a ton (and which OSU was fairly close to in *this* wretched season).

Their "big" non-confernece game is at home against Cal. I really think that OSU has a chance to have a huge start to the season. November will be very tricky. But September and October could be very good -- and, tbh, not really tell us much about OSU (unless they're wailing teams).

If I were to analogize to a season, I think Earle Bruce's first year might be it. A "phenom" sophomore QB. A really easy schedule. A ton of starters back. The 1979 Buckeyes weren't particularly great, but they had a very good season. I could see something along those lines. But I'm probably overly optimistic and more than likely short-selling the impact of a new staff and, IMO, the lack of OL depth.

In any event, 2012 will feature Ohio State's offense running exactly ZERO snaps with Bauserman under center. I can't wait!

Thanks for the analysis.

I think that 2012 is "game on" as well. We'll have a ton of seniors playing -- probably 5 on defense and 6 or 7 on offense. It will be the first time that we have seen that since 2003. That was possibly Carr's best team even though they lost three games. I see our losses on the defensive line as being about on par with OSU's losses on the offensive line. Both will hurt. In 2013, we'll lose all of those seniors plus probably Taylor Lewan. It's too far off to tell right now, but I expect OSU to win that one pretty easily.

[Hannibal]

One thing I'm wondering -- with Urban Meyer as the coach, has OSU suddenly jumped into play with any dual threat QB recruits?

[WingsFan]

Just watched an extended interview with Meyer. This guy is so full of bs I would even know where to start, I know now he will fit in perfectly at Ohio, should have them in the NC game 2-3 years. Amazing that we now live in a society that doesn't think the person who lied is an idiot, but the person who believed the lie is.

[lineygoblue]

I am still trying to understand why we are supposed to be afraid of him.

[Chuck Mallory]

probably because of the tear he went on while at Florida.

[Paul L]

With Ron Zook's recruits; what'd he do with his own?

[Jamie H]

He quit on them.

[Optimus Prime]

"They've got me tucked in a 6x6 broom closet, 12 inch B & W, with rabbit ears, ready, willing and able. The Colts even have me working the Bye Week. Wow, did I ever "F" up."

[Dr. Strangelove]

With Ron Zook's recruits; what'd he do with his own?

Tebow was one of his. The 2008 team was pretty much Meyer's.

He also built BG into a winner and went undefeated at Utah. Won everywhere he's gone. For those who've already forgotten and consider him "not nearly as proven a winner as Hoke"